| Home » Coverstory
Dads and Grads: Unique and Exquisite Gifts
By Jacqueline Seewald
Father's Day will be upon us sooner than we realize. It requires planning to make it an enjoyable occasion. You want your dad to have a special Father's Day, whatever his age or your financial circumstances.
For Children:
- Create a special card rather than buying one.
- Write an essay telling your dad why you love him and why he's a terrific father.
- Write a poem or story for your dad.
Note: If you can't write one yourself, check out this site on the web: http://www.poemsforfree.com/fathersdaypoems.html
The poems and stories for Father's Day are free to use for personal use.
- Do a craft activity project and make something special for dad.
Here's one site of numerous websites that offers interesting suggestions: www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/fathersday
- Make a magnet with your photo on it. Suggestions of this kind
are available at: crafts.kaboose.com /holidays/fathers-day/
- Help your mom make a special breakfast for your dad and serve it to him.
- Bake your dad a cake, his favorite cookies, or cupcakes with smiley face frosting.
- Do an activity with your dad on this special day that you know he will enjoy.
Examples: If he's an outdoorsman and you share that type of interest, go fishing, hunting, and camping with him.
- Watch a sporting event together live or on TV, go to the movies together, play chess or checkers, etc.
One of my best memories of Father's Day was playing poker with my dad. We played for pennies and had a lot of fun. Something unique and special doesn't have to cost lots of money. It can be just the fact that you're spending time with your parent and enjoying each other's company. Probably that's the best present of all.
- Go for a walk with your father. It can be around the block or a hike in a local park.
Father's Day Celebration for Adults:
You always want to buy just the right gift, one your dad will appreciate and enjoy. So what sort of gifts will your father treasure?
If money is no object, buy him a Rolex or a new car.
How about a Mercedes or a vintage Corvette? Then there's always a great vacation. How about an around the world cruise with first class accommodations? A bit more than you were planning to spend or can actually afford? Okay, again, great gifts don't have to cost a fortune. Consider something less pricey.
You can visit and take Dad out for a special meal.
You can bring a prepared meal to your Dad's home and serve it. If you live far away, phone and send a gift. A photo album or picture frame with family pictures is always a good gift. Inexpensive gifts like T-shirts and baseball caps or hats that say "Best Dad" or "Best Granddad" generally go over well. Fathers like to know that their children and grandchildren are thinking of them and love them. The old saying little things mean a lot still holds true.
Here are some gift ideas that may prove helpful when you go
shopping:
Personalize items you purchase for your father with a monogram. Here are some items to consider: key chain, pocket knife, engraved money clip, wallet, pocket watch, travel mug, beer mug, travel case, duffel bag, personalized photo album, street parking sign, barbecue set plus apron, monogrammed bathrobe, monogrammed dress shirt, coffee mug with family photo on it or phrase like "Dad's Mug." How about a photo of your family in an attractive frame? Consider also a photo collage to hang on the wall or a photo collage mouse pad. Posters that say such things as "super dad" are also a possibility.
Then there are monogrammed ties in your father's favorite color or design pattern. How about monogrammed cufflinks? Lots of these can be specially ordered online. The great thing about the internet is that so much more is now available even to those of us who have limited time to shop for gifts.
Clothing is not always the best gift. It's kind of iffy. You have to know and understand that person's particular taste and also know what sizes to select. I generally bought my father-in-law a knit golf shirt for Father's Day. That was the kind of shirt he preferred. He never liked being fussed over or given presents. However, the shirt was something practical that he could use. I did the same for my own father. But I knew he liked white shirts and burgundy striped ties. So that was usually his gift.
As with my father-in-law, my own dad never liked us to make a big deal out of Father's Day. So our celebrations were kept simple, never lavish. But not all men think alike.
Now for the unique and exquisite:
If your father is into tech, there are many ideas available from blackberries to IPods or IPads to Kindles and Nooks. How about a new computer with all the bells and whistles?
For sportsmen, there are always fishing rods, camping gear, guns and rifles, rock climbing and camping equipment.
If your dad is a photographer, how about buying him some new camera equipment? If he's still sticking with his old 35 mm., why not a new digital camera or video cam? New TV, large screen?
DVD player and recorder? There are a host of unique tech gadgets out there.
Ralph Waldo Emerson had interesting and commendable thoughts and opinions regarding gift-giving: "Gifts of one who loved me--Twas high time they came; when he ceased to love me, Time they stopped for shame."
Emerson, nineteenth century transcendental philosopher and theologian, observed in his essay appropriately entitled "Gifts" that flowers and fruits are always appropriate gifts "because they are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world." Emerson went on to observe that things of necessity are also always appropriate gifts as well.
Emerson made the significant statement that the only true gift is a portion of ourselves. Something we create is of more significance than anything we could possibly buy in a store: "it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith's."
But let's face it, modern man is a materialistic creature, unlike Emerson. Too bad we don't still read Emerson's essays and aren't influenced by his advice. Of course, commerce as we know it would be seriously impacted.
Avoiding mall madness and still managing to give gifts that your dad and or granddad will appreciate definitely takes time and planning.
Internet shopping is one approach never dreamed of in Emerson's day. You can even find examples of thoughtful gifts if you Google and select 'thoughtful' as a gift type. That's one way to guarantee happy shopping for that special occasion gift that will be appreciated and well remembered.
The tradition of Father's Day can be traced all the way back to Babylon. A young boy called Elmesu carved a Father's Day message on a card made out of clay nearly 4,000 years ago. Elmesu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life. Though there is no record of what happened to Elmesu and his father, the tradition of celebrating Father's Day remained in several countries all over the world.
Father's Day, in the United States, is a holiday (third Sunday in June) to honor fathers. Credit for originating the holiday is generally given to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, whose father, a Civil War veteran, raised her and her five siblings after their mother died in childbirth. She is said to have had the idea in 1909 while listening to a sermon on Mother's Day, which at the time was becoming established as a holiday. Local religious leaders supported the idea, and the first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, the month of the birthday of Dodd's father. In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge gave his support to the observance, and in 1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson officially proclaimed it a national holiday. Observance on the third Sunday of June was decreed by law in 1972.
Although it was originally largely a religious holiday, Father's Day has been commercialized with the sending of greeting cards and the giving of gifts. Some observe the custom of wearing a red rose to indicate that one's father is living or a white rose to indicate that he is deceased. Other males-for example, grandfathers or uncles who have assumed parenting roles-are often also honored on the day. Some Roman Catholics continue to observe the feast day of Saint Joseph, on March 19, as a tribute to fathers.
Gifts for Graduates:
Nowadays children don't have to graduate high school or college to be graduates. Last year, I attended a pre-school graduation of my oldest grandchild. It was quite an elaborate affair. The children, all approximately four and five years of age and dressed in special outfits for the occasion, performed, singing a number of songs and dancing. Their teachers made speeches. Refreshments were served afterwards.
Elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and graduate school all have their graduation ceremonies. And it is necessary to provide gifts for each.
Best gifts for each? An appropriate card and a check are always welcome and appreciated.
However, if you are looking for something a bit more personal and interesting, then let's consider the following.
Pre-school graduation gifts: Flowers for girls are a nice touch. Small girls will be happy with one lovely rose that you select from a florist. A doll is always a good gift. So is a tea set or a doll house. For pre-school boys: try toy cars, construction vehicles or riding toys. Books are always a good gift.
Middle school graduation gifts: Again, flowers for girls are always appreciated. Bicycles are good gifts for boys or girls.
Take the entire family out to lunch or dinner to celebrate. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy unless you want it to be. Most children like pizza and consider that a major treat.
High School graduation:
There was a time when a pen and pencil set was considered an appropriate gift for a high school graduate. These days, high school graduates expect something more substantial. Of course, probably one of the best gifts is still money toward college tuition and books. You might also think in terms of a new laptop computer that they will need for college. With a daughter, mothers like to help shop for a college wardrobe, although that tends to be casual. Many girls prefer to receive use of a charge card so they can shop with their friends. A credit or debit card might be a good choice for a responsible child. For outstanding gifts, consider a new car or a trip to Europe for the entire family.
College Graduation: We bought our sons their own automobiles. They needed them to go out into the work world. Our younger son wanted a sporty car. We let him pick out exactly what he wanted. If you can afford a new car, that's great! If you can't, consider buying a used automobile or leasing. Money is always an excellent gift. Again, credit or debit cards are a good gift idea.
You can't lose with jewelry for a young woman. But you have to know how their tastes run. I love heart jewelry. One of my daughters-in-law hates heart jewelry. You really ought to take that special graduate shopping and let her pick out what she'd love to have. That goes for everything personal in nature.
If you do choose to purchase an article of clothing for a graduate, make certain you leave the tags and receipt in the box in case there's a need for returns. Even when clothes fit, they may not be something that the graduate would choose to wear. Consider the generation gap.
If your graduate is going out in the world of business, he/she will need an appropriate wardrobe. You might want to help shop for or just pay for suits, dresses, uniforms, shoes, shirts, and ties.
A vacation trip to any big city that includes sightseeing would be another good choice. Every city in the world has much to offer culturally from museums to live theatre to zoos, aquariums, libraries, architecture, etc. The summer directly after graduation could be the last time your graduate has time to travel for a long time to come. You might want to finance the trip or go along and share it and make special memories of a time that will never come again.
Maybe you want to offer a new camera or a watch as a gift for the graduate. They can cost a lot or a little.
For the graduate who is concerned about the planet, a unique and appropriate gift might be a donation to charities such as the trees for life program:
www.treesforlife.org
A good site to look at for gift ideas for every age group:
www.findgift.com/Occasions/Graduation
Here you'll find such unique gift ideas as: a college survival kit for $49.95 or a college cookbook for $12.95. There are also suggestions for music boxes, jewelry boxes, a crystal graduation set and a personalized definition graduation keepsake box, just to name a few.
There are any number of sites on the web that offer interesting and unique gift ideas for graduates. Here's another one worth looking at: http://www.theydeserveit.com /gift-ideas/graduation-gifts/unique-graduation-gifts.html
Don't forget about gift certificates. These allow the graduate to choose what he or she would like to have. It need not only be a gift certificate for a department store. If your graduate likes to read, how about a gift certificate to a book store? Phone cards are also very useful for students as are cell phones.
A memory book to recall graduation might be nice for the sentimental type. It's certainly a considerate gift. On the practical and useful side, if your graduate is going on to a professional job, a leather briefcase might be a good choice.
Try to be creative in your thinking. Any thoughtful gift presented with love is bound to be appreciated, whether it costs a great deal or a small amount.
back to top
|
